1. newsletter for international students | volume 2
Compiled by:
The Division for
Internationalisation
Office: A ring 420
Editor: Mrs Brenda
Godfrey
brendag@uj.ac.za
Auckland Park Kingsway
Campus
www.uj.ac.za/international
Inside this issue:
• My UJ experience
• Highlights –
International
Festival 2011
• Johannesburg:
My story
• Behind life’s
toughest choices
• International
Postgraduate
Students from Africa
are struggling
• Iternational
Student Ministry
• UJ Welcomes
International Students:
“I was there!”
• UJ’s Bright Young Minds
Making a Difference
• I care!
• Africa Day
• Christmas Abroad
• New Committee to
drive higher education
development
• The Editorial Team
My UJ Experience
I had heard a lot about this University,
and as the day drew closer, I became
more nervous. It was my first day on
campus. I didn’t think I had a reason to
be nervous, but I was. I recalled using
my student card for access into the
University, thinking how cool it was.
As I entered the lecture hall, B-Les 101,
I was overwhelmed by how big it was.
Don’’t even ask me what the lecture was
about, because I spent the entire lecture
thinking about how fortunate I was to be
at the University of Johannesburg! I do
however remember that the subject was
Business Management (ONB1A01).
After the lecture, as I stepped into
the Student Centre, it was a different
environment. Minutes before I had been
in a quiet lecture room and then I entered
this mall-like environment. I realised
something, though; the students were
very warm. I soon became friends with
some people with whom I still relate
right up to my third year.
During the Society Week, I joined a
society called AIESEC, which has made
my study at the UJ worthwhile.
I have the opportunity to be studying
BCom (Economics) in one of the best
universities in Africa and studying for
this degree has opened my eyes to
things only the UJ could. It helped me
to achieve so much, as I realised that the
UJ was actually the most sought-after
university in Africa for finance-
related courses.
By Mitchell Dibua
Mitchell Dibua

2. Page 1 Page 2
Functions and Events
Highlights – International Festival 2011
This vibrant and colourful exposé is where international
students showcase their various cultures with themes such
as Celebrating National Pride and Nations Unite
The annual UJ International
Festival that is organised by the
Division for Internationalisation
offers international students the
opportunity to showcase their
respective cultures at the University.
The objective of the festival is to
enlighten international students
and South Africans alike about the
diverse cultures of the international
students of the University of
Johannesburg, facilitated through
cuisine, couture and cultural
performances.
At different stalls of approximately
25 countries, the national cuisine
vies for pride of place, with colourful
posters, artefacts typical of the
relevant cultures and the national
costumes and traditional wars of
participants presenting a colourful
picture. Themes such as Celebrating
National Pride and Nations Unite
provide a focus for this annual event.
While some students decorated
their exhibition stalls with traditional
artefacts and displayed an
assortment of succulent cuisines,
others quickly worked on their song
and dance routine with national
pride – excited to showcase their
countries to over 2 000 visitors,
including the likes of dignitaries from
various foreign missions, journalists
and the general public.
The students’ “countries” paraded
in a song and dance routine before
a panel of judges, competing for
the winning prizes in categories
of: Best Traditional Wear, Best
Exhibition Stall, Best Cuisine, Best
Performance and Overall Winner.
The atmosphere was electrifying
as supporters championed their
countries’ participants to outperform
their counterparts, as they paraded
and danced to music on a stage that
floated above water at the
Fountain Court.
Visitors, staff members and students
were treated to an inexpensive
journey around the world by
visiting many countries’ stalls and
experienced their way of life. Adding
to the ambiance was the sound
of music – different and unique to
each country – pulsating from all the
stalls. It was the coming together
of students, both international and
local, in celebrating the University’s
rich cultural diversity.
The winner in the categories for Best
Cuisine and Best Exhibition Stall was
Gabon; for Best Traditional Wear, the
winners were Burundi and Rwanda;
in the Best Performance category,
South Africa won; and the Overall
Winner was Gabon.
Dr Pinkie Mekgwe, the Executive
Director of the Division for
Internationalisation said, “We are
proud to say that the objectives for
the International Student Festival
have been achieved. At this year’s
festival, awareness of diversity was
raised, values, traditions and beliefs
were celebrated and the importance
of international collaboration and
communication – fundamental to
academic vitality – highlighted.”
By Brenda Godfrey
Students from Swaziland doing their song and dance routine.
Executive Director of the Division for Internationalisation,
Dr Pinkie Mekgwe (left), with a South African student,
Ms Banela Ncube.
Important Notice
The annual International Festival will be held on Friday
28 September 2012 at the Auckland Park Kingsway Campus.
The festival is the biggest annual event hosted by the Division
for Internationalisation and offers students and visitors a unique
opportunity to globe trot by exploring and experiencing a
feast of different cuisine, cultures and lifestyles. For more
information, please visit: www.uj.ac.za/international

3. Page 3 Page 4
Johannesburg: My story
I got off the double-decker bus at
the station closest to the Kingsway
Campus and entered the gate,
feeling heavyhearted. Work was far
from my mind that day, because
I was told the project I had been
working on was cancelled due to
cost constraints. I sat at my desk,
contemplating my next move. I had
invested huge effort in this project
and the very idea of giving it up
was devastating. I had come to love
what I was doing and I knew it was
a great job. Some questions arose,
something I think happens to us all
when facing some adversity. What
was I doing here? Was it worth it to
leave my country, my hometown and
my people to further my education?
A part of me still said it was the
best decision I had ever made
and another part told me the exact
opposite.
My journey started almost a year
earlier when I finally resigned from
my job as an electrical engineer in
my native Congo, tired of routine
work, but with the ambition to rise
above my current circumstances.
I had heard about Johannesburg
before, never thinking I would live
there one day. My only contact was
a friend living in Johannesburg, who
was “studying at university”. My
belief that I could make it in a South
African university, ranked among
the best in Africa, spurred me on.
The day before I left the Congo, I
took another glance at the piece of
paper in my wallet. On it was written
“23 James Street, Regents Park,
Johannesburg”; my friend’s postal
address.
The Monday following my arrival in
Johannesburg my friend asked me
to accompany him to the University
of Johannesburg, where he was
studying. The university was far from
Regents Park where we were staying
and it required taking two buses
to get there. Once we reached the
CBD, where we were supposed to
take the bus to the university, I was
deeply impressed by what I saw
around me. People were talking in
strange languages, trying to sell their
products ranging from fruit, clothes
and USB memory sticks to airtime
or cell phones. At almost every taxi
station were long queues; even at
stations where there were only a few
people, queues formed. I found this
quite strange!
My only feeling in this environment
was fear; a feeling that would last
for almost six months before I
started feeling like myself again and
regaining my confidence. From news
reports I had heard very little good
about Johannesburg. The highlights
often focused on negatives, such
as criminality, xenophobia, HIV and
Aids, and recalling those stories
flamed my fear. As a foreigner,
being in Johannesburg felt like
being on another planet: the planet
Johannesburg. Judging from the
temperature, it was obviously
situated far from the sun. In fact, it
was mid June and very cold. Coming
from a very hot tropical region, I was
not used to the cold and I even came
to ask myself if I could cope with the
weather. People everywhere around
me wore heavy winter clothes, boots
and gloves.
We took a second bus to the
university and I was shocked to see
a woman driving it. Thoughts of
“How was it possible to hire a female
driver? Couldn’t she find another job
as secretary or teller?” raced through
my mind. We eventually arrived at
the university and I subsequently
learned that this campus was
named Kingsway.
There were many young students
everywhere, talking to one another
other, busy sending text messages
with their cell phones or listening to
music on a broad range of devices:
mp3 players, iPods, iPhones and
BlackBerries were rife. There was
also a diversity of races, but because
of my background I could only
distinguish black and white. To my
surprise I came to learn that some of
those I considered white, were in fact
called coloured, yet I could still not
see any difference between whites
and coloureds. I thought I was losing
my mind. I came back home that day
tired and even more confused.
Finally we finished the list of
requirements for being eligible
at the UJ. This included all the
academic records from all the
courses I had done before; copies
certified by the police; translations
of every single document into
English, homologated by the
DRC Embassy; submitting all the
documents to the South African
Qualification Authority(SAQA); and
getting a certificate from SAQA.
Only then could the registration
process start. It was a long process
and just challenging enough to
almost lead to discouragement.
However, I had left everything
behind and for me any form of
retreat was out of question. It
was a matter of do or die. In the
meantime I met with the man who
was going to be my supervisor.
He was a nice, open-minded
and kind man. I was lucky! The
day after meeting with him, he
informed me that I was accepted
in the photonics research group
in the Department of Electrical
Engineering. I don’t know whether
I made a good first impression or
whether he only decided to give
me a chance regardless of
who I was.
A month after my arrival in
Johannesburg I was accepted
into my research group, but my
registration had still not been
completed. I was issued with a
visitor’s card to gain access and
egress of the campus. Although
things seem to have started
moving in the right direction, I
was still paranoid and getting
lost almost every time I tried to
go out alone. Instead of asking
for directions, I would take a cab
and give the driver the address I
was going to. As a consequence,
during the first month, I spent
three times the amount of money I
am currently spending per month. I
had no perception of the actual value
of this new currency and although I
knew R100 was a lot of money and a
bigger amount than R20, I could not
comprehend the actual value.
As the days passed I built my
confidence levels and I could even
risk taking taxis! Now I started
getting used to different jargon. I
often heard people shouting to the
driver “after robot, short left” or “bus
stop”, and the languages used most
in the taxis were African languages.
All I could do was listen to them,
trying to understand what they were
saying to one another and laughing
when everybody laughed.
Finally on that Wednesday, 3
September, three months after my
arrival, I completed my registration.
I was officially a student at the
University of Johannesburg. I looked
at my new student card and tears
almost came to my eyes. I had made
it! The big challenges were now far
behind. I then started working on
my project, filled with the passion
of someone granted something of
great value, and my excitement grew
as the days passed, until that fateful
day in March 2012 when I learned
that I would not be able to continue
with that project and I would have to
choose something different.
By Justice Sompo
Behind life’s
toughest choices
To this day, many continue to
believe the notion that “good
things come to those who wait”.
Such words have been boldly
expressed in numerous musical
and poetic contexts. There comes
a time when striving to achieve
your goals, waiting is no longer an
option. Yes! This notion seriously
tests our patience; patience we do
not necessarily possess.
Faced with huge decisions to
make, first-year students are
often confronted with a number
of issues that require them to
think wisely before giving their
choices the ‘green light’. But
sometimes giving the green light
can turn into a big and highly
regrettable mistake. It is obvious
that mistakes form an inevitable
aspect of life, but some errors are
just not necessary. This is because
some mistakes can be as drastic
as causing us to miss important
steps in our lives. As beginners,
our mistakes are mostly attributed
to the reality that we are still
undergoing a process of self-
discovery. The process of self-
discovery can put us at conflict
with our aim to persevere and
wait for something better to come
along. But these two things are to
a great extent interconnected.
The Pursuit of Happyness is
a film starring Will Smith that
well illustrates the link between
patience and perseverance.
When faced with adversity, Chris
Gardner (played by Will Smith)
works as hard as he can and tries
to maintain a positive attitude.
Being homeless and running from
shelter to shelter, facing the lack
of job security and having a son
he clearly cannot provide for, are
more than enough reasons for
Chris to simply call it quits! Most
evidently, this film demonstrates
the genuine possibility that
perseverance can indeed occur
without patience and vice versa.
So, one of life’s simplest ideals:
Whereas good things come to
those who wait, BETTER and
GREATER things await those who
persevere!
By Pascale Yav
Justice Sompo

4. Page 5 Page 6
International Postgraduate students
from Africa are struggling
High numbers of postgraduate
and international students are
major requirements for successful
evaluation and ranking of a university.
African universities are now
advocating “internationalisation’ and
collaboration with foreign institutions
through various programmes, both
for the purpose of research and
international recognition.
South African universities are leading
other African universities, which is
evident in the collaboration between
South Africa’s universities and those
in Europe and the United States.
This is a welcome development, but
internationalisation is putting other
African citizens studying in South
Africa under pressure.
Another major advantage of
internationalisation is to create
an environment for South African
students to discover the culture of
students from abroad, in particular
that of African students originating
from nations north of the Southern
African Development Community
(SADC).
This internationalisation is however
being undermined by exorbitant
international student fees. Non-
SADC students struggle to obtain
postgraduate scholarships despite
numerous means of funding – local
and international – available for
postgraduate study in South Africa.
In brief, this is my experience as an
international student studying at one
of South Africa’s top universities:
My experience
I was in the final stage of an honours
programme in Nigeria when one
of my lecturers, who had gone to
South Africa for his PhD, sent me an
email suggesting that I apply for a
master’s degree at a South African
university. He said there were several
postgraduate funding opportunities
that could cover my studies.
I graduated with a good mark and
applied for acceptance as a master’s
student at a leading South African
university (which I will not name),
with the intention of getting funded.
I was working for an international
company in Nigeria when I received
the outcome of my application. It
turned out that my application was
successful.
I was extatic, having always dreamed
of new experiences. Only, it turned
out that this was nothing more than
a mirage. I was supposed to start my
master’s studies that year, but was
unable to do so because I had no
money to fund myself, so I had to
postpone my studies to the following
academic year.
During this period, my prospective
department sent all applicants
a form to apply for a particular
scholarship that is attached to the
department. I did a lot of spiritual
vigil, fasting and praying, because
from the application form I learned
that the scholarship was restricted
to students from South Africa
and SADC and that it was rare for
students from other African countries
to be awarded such a scholarship.
It was a bright Monday morning
when I got an email stating that I
had been accepted for the master’s
programme a second time, and
that this placed me in a competitive
position for the scholarship as
admission to the programme was a
prerequisite.
I started preparing myself for the
great journey ahead, having made
up my mind to make use of this
second opportunity, come what may.
I immediately contacted someone
for help with medical aid and other
required documentation in order for
the South African High Commission
in Nigeria to issue a study permit. My
permit application was successful,
though not without hassles.
While in the middle of preparing I
received an email on the outcome
of the scholarship and almost
fainted when I read that I had been
unsuccessful. But something inside
kept me going.
My former lecturer said that I should
go to South Africa nonetheless,
as I would surely get a scholarship
once I am there. I gathered what
little money I could from friends and
family. On my arrival, I learned that
the lecturer was no longer in South
Africa to accommodate me, and
after staying with his friends for three
weeks, I was sent on my way.
I could not register at the university
because I was unable to pay the fees.
I went to the department for help
but to no avail. I kept going back and
praying for a miracle.
The Scholarship and Financial
Aid Office said that all available
scholarships were for South Africans
only, but that I could apply for a
merit award due to my excellent
marks. I applied, and fortunately my
application was successful in the
middle of the year. I immediately
went to the registration centre – I
couldn’t wait to finally be a master’s
student!
Shocking fees for
internationals
I however got the shock of my
life when I was told to pay an
international student fee of more
than R16 000 (US$2 000), over and
above a tuition fee of almost R35 000
(US$4 500). I was so stressed by this
that I nearly developed psychological
problems. I thought of returning
to Nigeria, because at no point
had anybody told me about the
exorbitant international student fee.
The international fee had been
increased from R2 500 to R16 000
and it keeps rising every year. In 2012
the international fee at the university,
payable by all international students
including Africans from outside
SADC, is around R21 000.
I consider myself incredibly lucky for
eventually receiving an international
scholarship from the German
Academic Exchange Service, DAAD,
which paid all my fees; one lucky
person among very many foreign
students in South Africa who are
struggling to complete their studies.
I finished my master’s programme but
was then faced with the challenge
of funding my PhD studies as an
international student.
More help needed for
African postgraduate
students
What is interesting is that there are
many international postgraduate
students from African countries north
of SADC, but they pay the same fees
as students from rich countries.
What is the status on
internationalisation if African
students must pay such high fees
on their own continent? Students
leaving one European country
for another are treated as local
students. It is also interesting to note
that some universities employing
this fee discrimination are also
collecting substantial government
subsidies based on the number of
postgraduate students they have
enrolled.
Many African students have
landed on the streets due to the
discriminatory policies of some
institutions in South Africa, and have
lost out completely. I know many
students from Nigeria and other
non-SADC nations who have had to
drop out of university because of this
problem.
In my capacity as an executive
member of an international students’
association, I have endeavoured to
discuss this with my university, but the
international office and management
were dismissive. Most annoying of all
is the fact that the international fees
have kept increasing by more than
10% a year.
I sincerely appreciate the scholarship
I was awarded for my master’s
studies, but I was just lucky.
I write this story not to blame anyone
or any institution, but to show that
international students from the non-
SADC region of Africa are finding it
very difficult to survive, and to argue
that they should not be made to
pay what non-Africans are paying in
South African universities.
I believe South African and
international funders should increase
scholarships for international
postgraduate students, which should
include non-SADC African students,
as they are contributing positively
to development in South Africa and
Africa through their skills, research
and publications.
*Adeagbo is now a PhD student at
the UJ, an institution that charges
lower international student fees.
By Adeagbo Oluwafemi
Students at the UJ on one of their group study sessions

5. Page 8
International Students Ministry
South Africa
Every university in South Africa
has international students.
South Africa has long been
a preferred destination for
students from other countries
in Southern Africa.
By Ebenezer Kiluba
Why an international
student ministry?
For the last 15 years, international
students have been coming to
South Africa in growing numbers.
The estimate for 2012 is somewhere
between 80 000 and 100 000,
which includes students in private
institutions. These students provide
a unique opportunity for the South
African Church to reach the nations for
Christ without leaving home.
All international students
have need of:
• friends to talk and listen to;
• families to connect with in the
host country;
• a place to belong – a community,
such as a church or society;
• someone to explain the foreign
culture; and
• the occasional assistance, either
financially or otherwise.
The strategic nature
of our work
When we invest time and effort in
students who come to our shores,
we may be pleasantly surprised when
they turn into national leaders in a
few short years. ISM’s approach to
work is interdenominational and is
also open to care for students who
do not profess the Christian faith.
Our activities include the following:
• Welcome programmes to meet
students as they arrive in
South Africa
• International cafés
• Outings to visit various parts of the
city they are studying in
• Social events and special meals
• Hospitality schemes
• International women’s groups
• Mums and toddlers groups
• Opportunities to practise
English conversation
• Help with South African culture
• Bible studies (exploring
Christianity) for those interested
ISM contacts at the University of
Johannesburg APK:
Ebenezer Kiluba
Chairperson of Social Actions
Fellowship Development
076 578 0812
kilubaeben@yahoo.com
Audrey Katsidzira
Master’s Student in Psychology
071 678 3760
akatsidzira@gmail.com
ISM contacts at the Johannesburg
Bible College:
Corner of Golf Street and Hampton
Avenue, Auckland Park
Nicolas Sibanda
084 348 8519
niqsibanda@yahoo.com
Vision
ISM (International Students Ministry) is shaped by what the Bible teaches
about God and His purposes for all nations, people, languages and cultures.
In particular, we recognise the following:
God’s care for the stranger
Throughout the Old Testament, God reveals his passionate concern for those
who are in a position of vulnerability (Deuteronomy 10:19; Leviticus 19:33-34).
The alien or stranger often has nobody to provide the practical and social
support normally given by family or friends. It can be a very lonely and painful
experience to be alone in a foreign country.
UJ Welcomes International Students:
“I was there!”
For many, the official welcoming
function for international students
was a very joyous occasion. Others
were awestruck as the reality dawned
of the challenge to complete this
new journey at the University
of Johannesburg.
After the registration process, initially
not knowing whether they would be
accepted or not, most young foreign
students were now faced with other
important questions, like what the
experience of living far from home
and their relatives, most for the very
first time, would be like.
For those coming from non-English
speaking countries, the big question
was whether they would succeed in
the task of gaining knowledge in a
language they are not very familiar
with. The language barrier certainly
exists, but so far they have done well
at a challenge that, in itself, would
have discouraged the
average person.
Having heard about the event one
week before, I decided to attend
for the first time ever. The event
took place at the UJ Kingsway
campus fountain on a beautiful
afternoon, with the diversity
among the attendees clearly visible
everywhere. In the crowd I could hear
conversations in different languages,
such as French, Portuguese and
many others, which was the cause
for excitement, affirming the fact
that I was really at a function for
international students.
I met with a Congolese student
named Olivier, who was very proud
of being accepted at the Faculty of
Engineering and Built Environment,
confidently talking about his future as
an electrical engineer. The crowd was
in high spirits, all enjoying the music
by a band performing on the stage.
The programme started off by
introducing people working in the
international office of the University
of Johannesburg to the international
students, followed by speeches
from various people, including
mere students willing to share
their experience at the University
of Johannesburg with staff of the
international office.
The highlight of the day was certainly
the notable speech by the UJ Vice-
Chancellor, Prof Ihron Rensburg. His
main focus was on the belief that one
could achieve anything in life, and
be as highly educated as you want to
be, irrespective of your background,
family or the community you hail
from. He emphasised that this was
possible at the UJ.
This speech, by a man who was
clearly in control of himself and
situations around him, impressed me
greatly. He recited statistics regarding
the number of all undergraduate and
postgraduate students that enrolled
this year as compared with the
previous year, the rate of success in
different fields of learning, as well as
research, the growth of the University
of Johannesburg in the seven years
since its inception and finally he
shared his vision for the future.
According to Prof Rensburg, one of
the most outstanding achievements
was the UJ being ranked 2nd
for the
second year running in the Sunday
Times Generation Next Youth Brand
Survey; one place ahead of Wits.
He also mentioned that the UJ has
progressed from the 19th
to the 9th
spot in Africa in only four years. He
concluded his speech by thanking
everybody for attending the function
and wished them well on their
journey at the UJ.
The end of the formal part of the
function was announced with
hearty applause from the audience,
followed by music from the band
and a meal that was shared amongst
attendees.
By Justice Sompo
Left: Prof Bobby Mandew, Executive Director:
Student Affairs, Dr Pinkie Mekgwe, Executive Director:
Division for Internationalisation and
Prof Ihron Rensburg, Vice Chancellor and Principal.
Students, excited on embarking on an excellent
academic career at the UJ.
Page 7

6. Page 9 Page 10
Important Notice
Update your info
Staff members at the Division for Internationalisation would like
to update you on the latest news and information about the
University. We urge that you start urging the UJ email address
that was allocated to you so that you can receive on-going
information from our Office.
We would also like to update your personal information on our
database and request that you visit our Office and complete a
form. The forms will be made available to you at our reception
area at A-Ring 420, Auckland Park Kingsway Campus.
A University of Johannesburg
master’s student, Ivanovic Mfouo-
Tynga, has taken it upon himself
to be one of many researchers –
locally and internationally – to work
on developing a cancer treatment
regimen in photodynamic therapy
(PDT). Mfouo-Tynga (28) hails
from Gabon.
PDT is a medical treatment that
uses a photosensitising drug (a
drug that becomes activated by
light exposure) and a light source to
activate the applied drug. The result
is an activated oxygen molecule that
can destroy nearby cells. He concurs
that cancer is a concern and says it
is a pandemic responsible for a high
death rate.
Mfouo-Tynga is a grantholder
of the African Laser Centre – an
open, non-exclusive partnership for
stimulating innovation, research and
Gabonese Student Works on Developing a Cancer
Treatment Regimen in Photodynamic Therapy
Gabon, officially the Gabonese Republic, is a state in West and
Central Africa, sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the north-
west, Cameroon to the north and the Republic of the Congo curving
around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic
Ocean, is to the west. Gabon covers a land area of nearly 270 000
km2 and has an estimated population of 1 500 000. Its capital and
largest city is Libreville and its economy is dominated by oil.
UJ’s Bright Young Minds
Making a Difference
DRC Student Researches
Pulsing Fibre Laser Sources
The Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC) – located on the
equator, with one-third of the
country to the north and two-
thirds to the south – is the
largest country in Africa by area
after Sudan and Algeria and
the 12th
largest in the world. Its
population is about 71 million,
making it the 18th
most populous
nation in the world.
In 2009, Jean-Jacques Monga
Kaboko (32) embarked on a
journey to a foreign country in a
bid to further his studies, having an
Honours degree in Electronics and
Education from his native country’s
Higher Technical and Pedagogical
Institute of Likasi. Kaboko did not
come to South Africa to live a better
life – he wanted knowledge so that
he could return to his country and
plough back what he had learned.
Kaboko enrolled at the University
of Johannesburg for a Master’s
degree in Electrical and Electronic
Engineering. His studies are financed
by the African Laser Centre – an
open, non-exclusive partnership for
stimulating innovation, research and
technology development in lasers
and their application.
Research
According to Kaboko, the DRC
is a mining country, but lacks
technologies to improve safety
requirements in different mines.
With his expertise in designing and
implementing fibre laser sources,
projects can be initiated by him
for implementing vibration sensors
in order to detect and assess
the risks of erosion to prevent
underground accidents. He adds
that there is an ongoing project
of implementing fibre optics for
telecommunication in that country
and that his expertise, together
with those of other Congolese, in
fibre optic telecommunications will
be an important resource for the
realisation of this project.
Kaboko’s research is on pulsing
fibre laser sources, which find
applications in different areas
such as medicine for dental
surgery, dermatology and
telecommunications for range-
finding and distributed-sensing. His
focus is on Q-switch erbium-doped
fibre lasers. This type of fibre laser
source, he adds, finds applications
in diverse areas. “Because of the
robustness and simplicity of this
technique, it constitutes an ideal
pulsing laser source for distributed
sensing and medical surgery,”
says Kaboko.
According to Kaboko, the reason
he chose this area of research was
because of the abyss between
the progress and development of
laser technology in Africa compared
to the rest of the world. “Through
my research, I want to solve the
problems pertinent to our society,”
says this ambitious student.
How Far Has the Research Gone?
After 15 months on his project, he
says, he has completed the literature
study, design and simulation of a
Q-switched fibre laser, as well as the
implementation and experimental
characterisation of the system.
“The final step is the application of
a pulsed laser source for distance
measurement.”
Research Contribution
He elaborates, “I have proposed
a new approach of designing an
active Q-switched fibre laser.” The
traditional active Q-switched fibre
laser uses components such as
an acousto-optic modulator and
electro optic modulators as optical
switches. A number of challenges
have, however, been identified in
literature when using this type of
switch. “Recent investigations are
focused on all fibre laser sources and
proposed techniques use two Fibre
Bragg gratings to switch the fibre
laser cavity,” he explains. However,
an optical switch-based fibre Bragg
Grating is not preferred when
working at a high repetition rate. “In
my investigation, I proposed a novel
technique of switching the fibre laser
cavity. I have presented the results of
this investigation at two conferences
– the ALC 2010 conference in
Stellenbosch and at the SAIP 2010
conference in Pretoria,”
Kaboko concludes.
Notice
Top achievers ceremony will be held on Friday 17 August
at the Auckland Park Kingsway campus. The purpose of the
ceremony is to acknowledge International students who are
excelling in their academic and extra- curriculum activities.
For more information please write to:
Chiny Udensi at ujiss@uj.ac.zaJean-Jaques Monga Kaboko
Ivanovic Mfouo- Tynga
technology development in lasers
and their application. His research
focuses on PDT and he says that if
this treatment regimen is successful,
it will provide clinical researchers with
a light-based regimen to stop cancer
in its tracks. “Breast cancer is the
number one disease faced by women
worldwide, including South Africa.
Approximately 180 000 new cases are
diagnosed each year.”
Mfouo-Tynga adds, “Conventional
therapies such as chemotherapy
or radiation therapy are not that
specific to cancer/damaged tissues
and therefore result in numerous
side-effects, because not only
cancerous tissues, but also normal
tissues, are affected – often leading
to new challenges.” PDT is a cancer
therapy that is specific to damaged
tissues. “We want to come up with
better treatment and/or technologies
to treat cancer and minimise side-
effects,” he says. “This is why we
have chosen to study the effects of
PDT on breast cancer.”
Mfouo-Tynga is interested in
furthering his studies and, later, will
use the knowledge he acquires to
make a difference in Africa.
Another Milestone
Achievement for Ivanovic
Mfouo-Tynga from Gabon
At the Fourth African Laser Centre
conference held in Stellenbosch in
November 2011, Ivanovic Mfouo-
Tynga, a UJ international student,
was awarded a merit prize in the
MSc category, sponsored by Wirsam
Scientific, for his exceptional oral
presentation on cell death in human
breast cancer cells, by using zinc
phthalocyanine and laser irradiation.
And in the same year, Ivanovic
Mfouo-Tynga received the LRC
Master’s Student of the Year
2011 award from the Laser
Research Centre.

7. Page 11
I CARE!
Congolese
students
turning their
backs on their
country
One day, after my classes, I was walking towards my bus when someone
asked me: “Are you Congolese?” I had never seen her before and answered
in the affirmative. I then asked her if she was also Congolese and she said
yes. Before I go any further, I must tell you that I am a philanthropist. As we
were travelling, we started having some polite conversation when suddenly a
question triggered my mind. Curious as I am, I asked her about her plans after
her studies in South Africa. Her first answer was: “I’m going to work”, after
which I asked: “And after that?” My dear fellow Congolese then told me that
South Africa is such a nice place and she likes it so much that she would not
go back to the Congo and wants to make this her home. She was right; for
numerous reasons, mostly economical, South Africa is currently a better place
to live than the Congo.
However, I found her last answer so
deceptive that I suddenly felt angry.
I felt like I had to do something to
make her realise what her words
meant for millions of Congolese who
don’t have the opportunity to receive
the same quality of education that
she is receiving abroad.
I started telling her about South
Africa’s history and tried to make
her picture what this country would
have been like had people during
the time of Apartheid shared
her thinking. During the time of
Apartheid, many South Africans who
were against the regime left in exile;
some of them because they felt that
there was nothing they could do,
while others left to continue their
struggle from abroad but others still
stayed to fight and face the problem
head-on. Regardless of where they
found themselves, South Africans
fought against the Apartheid regime
because they knew that it was the
right thing to do for their country
and for themselves. Some of them
were even enjoying advantages
of the Apartheid regime, which
nevertheless didn’t prevent them
from doing what they thought to be
right. Those South Africans put the
interest of South Africa as a nation
before their own personal interests
and I believe that to be something
remarkable that we, Congolese
students living in South Africa, should
use to inspire us in order to do the
same for our nation that has for too
long been the victim of selfishness
from its own sons and daughters.
At the end of our conversation, my
fellow Congolese told me that she
sees my point but that the fate of the
Congo would not change because
one Congolese student decides not
to go back to the Congo and help it
rebuild itself with the knowledge that
she would have acquired.
My answer to her was that the Congo
needed all its sons and daughters in
order to rebuild itself, and that if we
all stand together and decide to do
something for our nation, nothing
would be able to stop the will of one
nation united for the same goal.
She asked me: “Why? Why chose
a life of struggle when you could
simply live your own life quietly with
your family.” My answer was simple:
“I CARE!”
What good is it to be a nation when
your fellow man’s fate is none of your
concern?
By Jean Ilunga Kabese
Page 12
Africa
Day
Africa Day –
Just Another Day
I was critical of whether Africa really
needs to have a “day”; after all,
what is the point of having a day
anyway? From my perspective, an
Africa holiday is just another way
we Africans use to make ourselves
feel good. We do like holidays, and
having things that appeal to our
emotions are very welcome.
At the Africa Day celebration hosted
by the University of Johannesburg,
Kingsway Campus, I was proved
wrong. I realised that I was looking
at the day from only my own angle.
After speaking to young Africans and
integrating their dynamics into my
concept of Africa Day, it occurred to
me that the celebration has several
angles to it. At the top of the list
was a South African young rap artist,
Mathebula Bongani Daniel Jamal,
whose perspective on Africa was
quite inspiring. He described Africa
as a mother and Africa Day as the
day to reminisce on the originality
of Africans and the remembrance
of the ties that bind us as Africans.
This day should not only serve as a
reflection, but should draw us back to
Africa, that is if we truly regard Africa
as our mother. We have acquired
many “unafrican” traits. Many of us
now prefer a more “sophisticated”
way of doing things, rather than our
traditional way and let me hasten
to add, our traditional way of doing
things is not as crude as most people
think, but as the rapper who also
works as a tour operator puts it, it
is the “African way of doing African
things”.
He also said that Africa can bring her
history to her future if Africa comes
back to her senses. Some of the
solutions we seek for can backfire,
and when they do, they will give rise
to a more complicating effect, since
these solutions do not originate
from us, because in the words of
former president Thabo Mbeki, we
need “African solutions to African
problems”.
“Africa should be a first-world in its
own way, focusing on what we do
best and not what people try to make
of us” echoed the tour operator.
Though some people might find this
arguable, I will say that it stands true.
as Africa today is a destination for
so many multinational companies
who approach us with their own
terms and then control us when, in
fact, they are the ones that need us.
This happens simply because we
are desperate and we have never-
satisfactory leaders. Africa should see
to her own development and growth
with seriousness and regard for the
“mother continent”.
So, as we commemorate Africa Day,
let it not be just another day, but
let it be a day that reminds us that
as Africans we owe a debt to our
continent. We should repay her in
every possible way and not seek after
things that do not truly represent
us. Let us know that we individually
have what it takes to make Africa a
good place and when we put them
together, Africa will be an even
greater place and home and indeed,
our mother.
By Mitchell Dibua
Jean Ilunga Kabese

8. Christmas Abroad
During the past December, the
small sleepy German village of
Eeglingen an der Paar came to
witness an event of a rather unlikely
sort. Located in the deep South
of Germany, the village became
the host of a different kind of
Welcome-Back Party. Three couples
celebrated their reunion in the
German winter snow. Yet a few years
back the odds of these six people
meeting each other did not look
too good.
Andreas and Kinikki, Daniel and
Nozuko, as well as Laurenz and
Lerato all met thanks to the student
exchange programme of the
University of Johannesburg. The
bonds formed by this six month or
year-long programme are arguably
one of the best untold success
stories of the International Office.
Andreas, Daniel and Laurenz are
all from different parts of Germany
and combine different backgrounds
and personal experiences that
motivated their decision to come
to the UJ. However, each of them
found a wide range and variety
of activities and support systems
instead, helping foreign students
to integrate quickly into the South
African society and student life.
Too often, the impacts of such
interventions are only measured
in tangible terms, such as the total
number of foreign exchange
students attending at the UJ. The
story of these three couples, on
the other hand, represents the
intangible long-term outcomes of
the UJ exchange programme and
the work of the IO. Having each met
their partner at the University, the
couples quickly became friends and
set out to explore South Africa and
its diversity together. One trip took
them to the Eastern Cape, exploring
the rural Xhosa village of Nozuko’s
family. Obviously Soweto, Lerato’s
home, was also part of the list, as
were trips to the Victoria Falls
and KZN.
September and December saw
Andreas and Daniel respectively
returning home. Yet Father
Christmas made a quick reunion
possible and so three very different
South Africans and three very
different Germans all travelled
to Daniel’s house in Eeglingen
to celebrate a truly international
X-mas. The bonds created at the UJ
continue to keep these six friends
together and maybe 2012 will see
another international Xmas in
South Africa.
New committee to drive higher
education development
Lerato and Laurenz in Berlin
Daniel and Nozuko
Andrea and Kinikki at
a traditional German
Christmas
Southern African higher education
ministers resolved to establish
a technical committee to drive
the implementation of policies
aimed at developing higher
education across the region, at an
extraordinary ministerial meeting
held in Johannesburg last week.
Southern African higher education
ministers resolved to establish a
technical committee to drive the
implementation of policies aimed
at developing higher education
across the region, at an extraordinary
ministerial meeting held in
Johannesburg last week.
The main objective of the meeting,
from 4-5 June, was to formulate
a regional plan and policies
to tackle the many challenges
facing universities in the Southern
African Development Community,
SADC, to spur the expansion and
improvement of higher education
across the region.
SADC economies could not continue
to depend on mineral resources and
agriculture, and needed urgently
to develop human capacity and
knowledge production, the
ministers said.
South Africa’s Minister of Higher
Education and Training Dr Blade
Nzimande had called the gathering
– but he was ill with flu, and was
unable to attend.
His deputy minister, Hlengiwe
Mkhize, said the meeting was
intended to create a platform for
SADC ministers to share experiences
and chart policy directions that
would “speed up the revitalisation of
higher education in the region”.
She said discussions had been based
on three themes for advancing
higher education in SADC – access
and participation; funding and
capacity-building over the next 10
to 15 years; and research output and
monitoring of institutions across
the region.
Ministerial policies should reflect
those challenges, and be geared
towards opening access and raising
participation levels among
young people.
Also, she said: “It is apparent that
our higher education system in the
region is not growing sufficiently in
either size or capacity to meet the
demand of a growing population
of youth.”
Mkhize said universities did not
have enough academics, and those
it had were not adequately trained.
In South Africa, for example, only
a third of academics had a PhD
and were able to produce research
outputs and supervise postgraduate
students. Further, attention needed
to be given to the development of
indigenous languages for scholarship
and research.
The new technical committee will
be charged with implementing
recommendations that came out of
the meeting.
Among the proposals in a paper
presented by Piyushi Kotecha, CEO
of the Southern African Regional
Universities Association was drafting
a funding strategy to harness public,
private and donor funding for
collaborative projects.
Four priorities for action, said
Kotecha, were to achieve: high-
speed bandwidth for universities
throughout the region, plant
expansion, a regional research and
development fund, and mechanisms
for increased mobility at all levels
of higher education.
Other suggestions were for a
regional higher education donor
conference, country teams to
develop a higher education
revitalisation strategy including
centres of excellence, resource
sharing and networks, and a regional
coordination body for governmental
and institutional leaders to foster a
south-south agenda for collaboration
across Africa.
Professor Arlindo Chilundo,
Mozambique’s deputy education
minister, also identified serious
challenges facing higher education,
including low enrolment rates
averaging 6.5%. He said knowledge
development was essential in order
to attain regional integration and
development in SADC.
Chilundo said more funding was
required to expand higher education
in SADC countries, but that
universities should also look to other
sources of income because public
funds would be insufficient to meet
the sector’s needs.
South Africa’s Mkhize also laid
much emphasis on funding higher
education, as well as the need for
greater academic mobility.
South Africa, she said, had invested
more than R1 billion (US$123 million)
in students from the SADC region in
2010, and R736 million in non-SADC
students. It was time for more South
African students to study in other
Southern African countries.
Reference:
University World News
08 June 2012 University World News
Global Edition Issue 225
Page 13 Page 14

9. The Editorial Team
The Editorial Team welcomes your valuable contribution toward this publication which will be produced twice a year. Should
you have a story of interest to share, please email one of the editorial team members below your article with photographs
and captions? We’d like to hear from you.
NAME SURNAME COUNTRY EMAIL
EDITOR Mrs B Godfrey South Africa brendag@uj.ac.za
Bhero Nyasha Zimbabwe isa@uj.ac.za
Sompo Justice D.R.C. justice-sompo@gmail.com
Laurenz Langer Germany laurenz.l@gmt.de
Shingai-Harry Jijita Zimbabwe ngish15drclarence@gmail.com
Gamuchirayi Benjamin Zimbabwe gamubenjy@yahoo.co.uk
Tsitsi Lorraine Tiriwokunze Zimbabwe tststiriwokunze@gmail.com
Essence Tshuma Zimbabwe 201112794@student.uj.ac.za
Joe Mpoyo Mbuyi D.R.C. donitodosson@yahoo.fr
Kudzai Mutsunge Zimbabwe kudzaimutsunge@gmail.com
Rumbidzai Sylvia Matarise Zimbabwe 201134916@student.uj.ac.za
Yousseu Tchaleu Boriane Cameroon 201228540@student.uj.ac.za
Hlengiwe Gumpo Zimbabwe hlengiwereasongumpo@hotmail.com
Ayibongwe Thandeka Ncube Zimbabwe boboencube@gmail.com
Andy Mpho Tladi Botswana thegrandkonnection@yahoo.co.uk
Mitchell Chukwuebuka Dibua Nigeria mitchelldeanmalone@yahoo.com
Ashley Tsungo Zimbabwe ashietsungo@gmail.com
Isabella Quaye Ghana quayeisabella@yahoo.com
Terseer Henry Gwaza Nigeria horsar241@yahoo.com
Future Moyo Zimbabwe vodlozafuture@gmail.com
Salma Kamya Uganda salmakamya@yahoo.com
Jean Kabese D.R.C. 201222983@student.uj.ac.za
Joseph Fonmedig Cameroon fonmedigj@yahoo.com
Sibusiso Gule Swaziland sbugeez@gmail.com
Adeagbo Oluwafemi Nigeria femiadex@yahoo.co.uk
Yav Pascal D.R.C. pascaleyav@gmail.com
Franke Ferber Germany 201201072@student.uj.ac.za
Page 15